Jail term extended for hit & run offender.
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From AsiaOne
Jail term for hit-and-driver upped from 1 to 4 years 
A 30-YEAR-OLD hit-and-run driver who killed a 79-year-old woman - while he was barred from driving - had his original one-year jail term upped to four years on Thursday by Chief Justice Chan Sek Keong.
In raising the sentence of Charles Lee Cheow Loong after an appeal by prosecutors, CJ Chan noted that this was one of the worst traffic violation cases to come to court.
Lee's original jail term, handed down in a district court last December, was 'horribly inadequate', said the CJ, noting that at the time of the accident, on Nov 16, 2006, Lee was two months into an 18-month suspension for drink driving.
But Lee defied the law and got behind the wheel again. 'This time, he killed somebody,' said the CJ.
Lee was speeding along Eu Tong Sen Street at about 6.40am when he knocked down Madam Pang Kong Hoon at the junction of Pearl's Hill Terrace.
Instead of stopping to help her, he drove off and parked the car at a basement carpark in Balestier.
But the license plate of the car was left at the scene and police went knocking on his door that afternoon.
Lee turned himself in only at about 10.30am the next day, more than 28 hours after the accident.
Last November, Lee pleaded guilty to five charges: causing Madam Pang's death by his rash driving; driving under disqualification; failing to give help; moving the BMW without permission; and driving without insurance coverage.
Two other charges of failing to stop after an accident and not making a police report were taken into consideration.
He was jailed for a year and banned from driving for 10 years. The prosecution appealed.
Solicitor-General Walter Woon pressed the court for a jail term of between three to four years.
He said that given Lee's propensity to ignore court orders and his lack of a sense of responsibility, the public can be protected only if he is locked up for a substantial period.
Lee's lawyer, Mr Alan Moh, argued that Lee had 'exceeded the speed limit but was not exceedingly fast', and said his client had turned himself in 28 hours.
He also argued that his client 'leaving the scene was inevitable' because he was fearful of being beaten up by a gathering crowd. But this did not wash with the CJ, who admonished the lawyer for 'making the case worse' with his arguments.
After the hearing, Lee's parents and relatives created a scene outside the courtroom, ranting, cursing and decrying the justice system. Police officers had to persuade them to
In my opinion, similar to most, the sentence should have been a lot more severe. Look at it this way, minimum 10 years jail sentence inclusive 6-8 strokes of the cane. That would probably be a good place to start. First of all this joker is a repeat offender, 1st strike: Driving under the influence, 2nd strike: Disobeying court order/ Driving without insurance, 3rd strike: HIT & RUN! How in the world did the first sentencing come up with only a 1-year jail term?!
79 year old victim, so what?! Going too die soon so no big deal?! It could have been anyone, it could have been anyone of us/ our loved ones. I for one, not all for capital punishment but in this case I say throw the book at this clown, slap his relatives with charges in contempt of court. And I do hope the relatives of the deceased pursue a civil suit and collect damages. Since both accused & family show no remorse. No one should be above the law.
Here's a link to what other reader's had to say: http://forums.asiaone.com/showthread.php?t=9879
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Yah the original sentencing of 1 year was extremely lenient. Not sure what the judge was thinking about.
Even 4 years sounds on the low side given this person's atrocious record.
The part about Lee's parents and relatives creating a scene outside the courtroom, ranting, cursing and decrying the justice system made me very sad. They probably thought that their son should get away scot-free. With parents and relatives behaving like that, no wonder Lee turned out this way.
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Exactly.., bloody judge was either high or somehow the parents knew ppl in high places. Glad the Asst. Prosecutor decided to appeal but too bad only 4 years. Moron didn't nearly kill someone, he already did & like u said, given his record plus the vehicular man-slaughter they should have banned this idiot from driving inexplicably. Well anyway I hope he'll get his just desserts in prison...
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looks like his parents got some connection... tis guy should not even b allow on the road anymore...
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what happened to the arse who crashed the mx5 and killed the salesgal?
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Good.
He totally deserved it.
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Originally posted by skeujin:
what happened to the arse who crashed the mx5 and killed the salesgal?
case closed liao rite? cant rem the verdict... -
if i hit someone........i would just call the cops and say i hit em....
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Originally posted by BrUtUs:
case closed liao rite? cant rem the verdict...dont remember hearing about a verdict...
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Originally posted by skeujin:
dont remember hearing about a verdict...
so how?
which sport car did he settle on? wrx or swift? or did he kill himself while testing on of those?
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Good riddance.... society will be free from that bugger for the next four years....
Even four years is still lenient in my opinion..... it seems to me that as long as you use a motor vehicle, you can get away with manslaughter pretty lightly.
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Oh the fool that killed the salesgirl.., that idiot was fined and jailed I think, citing the fact that the car was unstable. In my opinion ANY car pushed beyond a certain limit will go out of control. But the thing that really pissed me off was the fact that, while awaiting his sentence to be passed, he bragged online, contemplating whether he should get a GTI or a WRX!!? Heartless son-of-a- female canine! Hopes he burns in hell! Laws are applicable only to those who don't have the right connections. Welcome to a screwed-up justice system...
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The Chief Justice should review the sentencing records of the judge who meted out the original 1 year sentence. Very strange to me. Where is the relativity?
If you hit-and-run and killed somebody, even if your previous record is totally clean, you're likely to go to jail already, maybe even a year or so. Hitting and running is just not acceptable.
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Originally posted by fudgester:
Good riddance.... society will be free from that bugger for the next four years....
Even four years is still lenient in my opinion..... it seems to me that as long as you use a motor vehicle, you can get away with manslaughter pretty lightly.
but waitrecently one guy was only fined for driving w/o license!
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Yeah, oso this indian fellow driving with a suspended license due to unpaid road-tax.... He got banned from driving for 99 years + imprisonment 2-3 years. But his lawyer plea-bargained, got him an offer to re-take his license provided he paid a hefty fine, umm.., I think $5000/- after he had served the full sentence. Like that still considered fair, he didn't kill anyone yet. Got 2-3 years le. This Lee clown only 1 year, den now 4 years?! KNN.., where's his lifetime ban?? Wonder if he's related to SG's "Royal Family"? :P
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Originally posted by Naughtius Maximus:
Yeah, oso this indian fellow driving with a suspended license due to unpaid road-tax.... He got banned from driving for 99 years + imprisonment 2-3 years. But his lawyer plea-bargained, got him an offer to re-take his license provided he paid a hefty fine, umm.., I think $5000/- after he had served the full sentence. Like that still considered fair, he didn't kill anyone yet. Got 2-3 years le. This Lee clown only 1 year, den now 4 years?! KNN.., where's his lifetime ban?? Wonder if he's related to SG's "Royal Family"? :P
no la... that ah ma life was cheap in the eyes of our law.
but that indian never pay road tax leh. money you know? how can? our government dun tolerate people who tried to cheat them money.
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Originally posted by digicharat:
no la... that ah ma life was cheap in the eyes of our law.
but that indian never pay road tax leh. money you know? how can? our government dun tolerate people who tried to cheat them money
Hahaha! LoLx!! Nice one...
Bloody accurate... -
Originally posted by digicharat:
no la... that ah ma life was cheap in the eyes of our law.
but that indian never pay road tax leh. money you know? how can? our government dun tolerate people who tried to cheat them money
Hahaha! LoLx!! Nice one...
Bloody accurate...